Knitful Thinking Wish Item: Vogue Knitbook

When I sign up to receive free patterns on sites, to post comments in their blogs, and to participate in their discussion boards, once in a while I get a very interesting email offer like this:


For a closer look at the fine print, click on the above image, which will take you to Vogue Knitting.

Occasionally I am lucky enough to find a knitting book on sale, but the average price would be around PhP150-250 for a softcover. Others (hardcover) would be discounted about 40-50% off from a retail price approaching PhP 1895. I actually ordered Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book at full retail price from Powerbooks, but then as it's supposed to be a lifetime "stitchionary" resource, I didn't mind. I also did not want to lose it in the mail.

(The US dollar's down to PhP 47.25, but I think I've spent too much on fountain pens. No new pens, inks or knitting paraphernalia for several months. You'll be proud of me, I have successfully avoided peeking on eBay and online marketplace for these things like I used to.)

I suppose once you get a Vogue Knitbook, a coffeetable-style Finished Objects glossy photobook from MyPublisher would not be far behind... (I'm a looooong ways away from that at this point.)

Stash: Lion Brand Cotton Ease

During my first meeting with Ines last Saturday I saw some Lion Brand Cotton Ease which Joy was currently obsessed with. Cotton Ease is 50% cotton and 50% acrylic, and best of all, machine-washable. Joy was thinking, perfect for baby blankets... I ended up buying two of Maize (color 186) and one Violet (color 191). For non-knitters they might seem a bit pricey (PhP 320 per 100g skein at Dreams in Glorietta 2) but if it's for your loved ones, they're worth it*. The softness is unbelievably good against your skin. Such texture makes sure all your knitting effort is appreciated long, long after.

Having just learned cable stitches I was thinking, perfect for a man's scarf! The worsted weight makes the cables pop out against the background, and it's a real classic. Originally I was thinking of it for my brother-in-law's upcoming birthday, but when Joy saw the initial stages of the project she suggested it would get more wear if I gave it to my dad instead, who travels regularly to Baguio. "Tatay has a dark blue sports jacket that's always in his luggage, the Maize scarf will look great with that."

Wish list colors for this yarn: Olive Green (color 132), Lime (color 194), Lake (color 110), Hazelnut (color 125), Almond (color 099).

*compare with getting it overseas via eBay and with shipping... getting it locally is instant gratification, you don't "lose" it in the mail, and the VAT you pay helps the Filipino economy.